LISA FIRTH
Freelance editor, project manager, copywriter, proofreader and designer/typesetter
Tel: 01274 792703 | Mob: 07526 479914 | Email: lisa@lisafirtheditorial.co.uk
www.lisafirtheditorial.co.uk
PROFILE
I am a professional freelance editor with a background in educational publishing. For several years I have been the
editor of the popular Issues series of A-Level resource books for Independence Educational Publishers in Cambridge.
I offer an excellent combination of intellect, enthusiasm and wide-ranging technical and creative skills that would be of
great benefit to any company wishing to invest in a motivated and hard-working individual.
EDUCATION
October 2000 / July 2003 – The University of Durham (Collingwood College)
- BA Honours in English Literature: Class II Division I (2:1).
While attending university, I used my free time to edit a number of college publications, including the Collingwood
magazine, WoodWord; the 2002 JCR handbook for new students; the 2003 yearbook produced for graduating
finalists, and a satirical website based on college life of which I was the founder. My contributions to these publications
were recognised when I was awarded an honorary lifetime membership of the Collingwood JCR on graduation.
September 1995 / July 2000 – Bingley Grammar School, Keighley Road, Bingley
- A-Levels: English Language – A, Religious Studies – A, General Studies – A, English Literature – B
- GCSEs: 11 achieved, consisting of six A*s, three As and two Bs (including A*s in Maths and English)
TRAINING
The majority of my training has been gained “on the job”: my previous roles have given me a thorough grounding in
the skills needed to produce high-quality publications for the publishing industry. I am also currently an associate
member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (sfep), with whom I am soon to undertake additional formal
training. In addition, I have completed the following courses and examinations:
- Proofreading & Copy Editing evening course. Provider: Hills Road College, Cambridge. Completed: March 2007.
- RSA text processing course and examinations: Initial Text Processing – Distinction; Word Processing I –
Distinction; Word Processing II – Distinction; Mailmerge II – Pass. Provider: Bingley Grammar School, Bingley.
Examining body: OCR. Completed: May 2000.
KEY SKILLS
- Publishing – In my career I have worked on a wide range of publications, including school textbooks catering for
a variety of age groups and abilities; study guides for students; marketing brochures and posters, and a series of
travel guides, as well as producing digital content for websites. An experienced project manager, editor and
copywriter, I also have extensive experience of design and typesetting. I am fully versed in the industry-standard
Adobe Creative Suite software, and can produce book covers and page spreads which are both accessible and
attractive. Through my publishing roles, I have gained skills in project management; commissioning writers,
photographers, illustrators, indexers, proofreaders and other subcontractors; content sourcing; proofreading,
copywriting and editing; photo research; creating and managing website content; print and artwork management;
marketing and product branding, and design and typesetting.
- Technical – I am an experienced user of PCs (both Windows and Linux operating systems) and Macs. I have
used the following programs extensively for work purposes: Adobe Creative Suite (Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator,
Photoshop); Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); Filemaker Pro. I also have some web design experience.
- Analytical – I possess a keen eye for detail and the ability to absorb and process information efficiently, and
exhibit thoroughness in checking facts.
- Organisational – Accustomed to independent working and self-reliance, I have consistently demonstrated my
ability to work well under pressure. I am able to control budgets and schedules to ensure that all projects I
manage are delivered within budget, on time and of course to an exceptionally high standard.
RELEVANT WORK HISTORY
28 May 2010 / Present – Freelance Editor
Location: Bingley. As a freelance publishing professional, I offer a highly competitive editorial service to UK
publishers. My wide-ranging skills, coupled with exceptionally high standards and attention to detail, helps my
clients to successfully manage their projects from inception to completion in the most efficient way possible.
28 May 2010 / Present – Freelance Series Editor, Independence Educational Publishers
Location: Bingley. Following relocation to West Yorkshire, I have continued to handle the Issues and Issues
Today series for Independence on a freelance basis. This requires me to be self-reliant and highly motivated in
maintaining my working pattern.
5 November 2007 / 28 May 2010 – Managing Editor, Independence Educational Publishers
Location: Cambridge. My main responsibilities related to the Issues series, a range of educational books on social
issues for further education students, published at a rate of six per term. My responsibilities included the following:
- Deciding titles for publication; sourcing content; design; typesetting; obtaining reprint permission from
copyright holders for text and graphics; writing copy; editing copy; proofreading; creating graphs and
diagrams, and preparing print-ready artwork.
- Liaising with contributors.
- Commissioning freelance illustrators, indexers and proofreaders.
- Writing, editing and typesetting study guides to accompany the Issues books, at a rate of six a term.
- Supervising the production of a further range of social issues resource books for Key Stage 3 pupils,
published at the rate of four per term (the Issues Today series).
- Writing copy, including book “blurbs”, designing, typesetting and preparing print-ready files for all promotional
materials relating to Issues, Issues Today and Issues Online (including posters, catalogues and newsletters).
- Preparing all copy, graphics and downloadable files for the Independence website (including Issues Online),
and maintaining the website through a content management interface.
My return to Independence as Managing Editor in 2007 saw an increase in my responsibilities and the team
management aspects of my previous Series Editor role, as well as control over budgets for the series I handle.
16 July 2007 / 2 November 2007 – Project Editor, Cambridge Publishing Management
Location: Cambridge. Handling a diverse range of projects for a number of clients, including travel guides for
Thomas Cook Publishing and Key Stage 3 literacy titles for Rising Stars Educational Publishers. Responsibilities
included project management; commissioning authors, photographers and other freelancers; preparing and
managing budgets; photo research; seeking copyright permissions, and liaising with clients.
1 October 2006 / 13 July 2007 – Series Editor, Independence Educational Publishers
Location: Cambridge. Following promotion to Series Editor of Issues, I gained more control over the series,
including taking responsibility for marketing and branding; implementing a new look for the covers and spreads,
and overseeing the development of a new product aimed at the Key Stage 3 market: Issues Today.
1 May 2005 / 1 October 2006 – Assistant Editor, Independence Educational Publishers
Location: Cambridge. In my role as Assistant Editor, I was responsible for typesetting, proofreading and copy
editing new titles in the Issues series, in addition to sourcing content and commissioning artwork. In this role I was
supervised by the Series Editor.
8 March 2005 / 1 May 2005 – Editorial Assistant, Independence Educational Publishers
Location: Cambridge. Assisting the Series Editor and Assistant Editor with typesetting and creating graphs for the
Issues titles, as well as sourcing content for the books.
5 January 2004 / 6 September 2004 – Administrative Assistant, Emerald Publishing Group
Location: Bradford. Involved researching and producing spreadsheets of marketing data; using this information to
create mail-merge documents; proofreading of marketing documents, and general administration relating to the
customer relations department's correspondence, sales negotiations and conference organisation.
October 2002 – Writer / Interviewer, Durham University Enterprise Exchange
Location: Durham. Interviewing graduates who had set up their own businesses and incorporating these
interviews into a series of articles which were published both on a website and in an accompanying newsletter.
PERSONAL
In my spare time, I am a warranted leader for Girlguiding UK. In Cambridge I was guider-in-charge for a Rainbow unit.
This was a demanding role taking up most of my free time, involving planning and organising activities for the weekly
meetings; managing the unit accounts; attending regular meetings with other guiders in my district; attending training
sessions, and ensuring the unit complied with all requirements relating to health and safety, data protection etc.
During my time running the unit I was instrumental in organising events such as a bring and buy sale as part of
National Make a Difference Day. I also introduced a unit “newspaper” summarising the group's activities.
I am now a guider with a Brownie pack near Bingley. I am currently undertaking training in order to gain my pack
holiday licence, which will enable me to arrange overnight trips for the unit. Following my design of a unit website for
the Brownies (www.2ndwilsdenbrownies.co.cc), I was also asked to be ICT Guider for my district, responsible for
everything connected to computers and the Internet on behalf of all local Rainbow, Brownie and Guide units.
Other hobbies include reading, creative writing, knitting, crochet and hiking. I like to follow current affairs and become
involved in causes which are important to me. I am also a keen user of, and contributor to, Web 2.0.